Ernest Fear

Ernest Fear was the son of a Somerset blacksmith who chose to become a motor engineer, instead of following his father’s profession. Ernest also became a leading clay pigeon shooter and in 1931 won the Lincolnshire Clay Pigeon title. The following year he took part in his first international competition and in 1933 finished joint second behind Enoch Jenkins of Wales in the inaugural British Open Clay Pigeon Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Fear returned to Gleneagles in 1934 and won the Scottish Championship and when he won it again in 1937, at the International meeting, again at Gleneagles, he uniquely won the English and Scottish individual titles at the same meeting. Fear also won the British Open in 1936 and 1939.

After World War II, Fear was joint second in the 1948 European Clay Pigeon Championships at Bisley and just a few days later, came third in the world championships at the same venue. After taking part in the trap competition at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics at the age 53, Fear missed out on the Europeans again in 1959 when finishing third at Milano when fellow-Yorkshireman Joe Wheater won the title. However, at Berne two year later, Fear captured the title.

Fear continued winning trophies and in 1963, just three months before his 60th birthday, won the Bisley Gun Club English Open Grand Prix.